A laser treatment left me burned. Now I run a six-figure clinic.

Simone Steele is the founder of Simply Shady and Queen Aesthetics Wellness and Beauty Clinic.

Danielle Villasana for BI

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Simone Steele, founder of Queen Aesthetics Wellness and Beauty Clinic and inclusive sunscreen company Simply Shady. The following has been edited for length and clarity.I decided to start my own business after getting burned — literally.I was a board-certified physician's assistant at a plastic surgery office in Houston, and I went to another clinic looking for laser treatment for my own skin concerns. What could've been a confidence-boosting procedure in the right hands left me with burns and pigmentation problems for years. I don't want anybody else to feel like I did.

Steele started her business with in-home Botox and filler parties.

Danielle Villasana for BI